A Brief Look at Washington Irving

A Brief Look at Washington Irving

1441 WordsFeb 22nd, 20186 Pages

He was the first author to sell his stories abroad other than America. Washington Irving was born and raised in New York City on April 3, 1783, and he was the youngest of eleven children. Washington Irving was the first American to make a living as an author during his career in the early 1800’s. His short stories left a lasting and of most influential work. Irving’s short stories and poems were one of the first folk stories wrote and are still read about today. Washington Irving graduated from private school in 1798. He went on to law school and worked in a law office for a short period of time because he did not enjoy working in the law office. After leaving the law office he decided to go work in various different offices including writing for a couple of newspapers which was edited by his brother, Peter. Washington Irving first full length book appeared in December 1809. Many of the book plays were about the dutch settlers and the british. Irving continue to write for various newspapers until the death of his fiance, Matilda Hoffman, this left Irving struggling for several years. After struggling for about six years, Washington’s brothers made him part of the family business of the import/ export business. Irving still being saddened by the loss of his fiance wasn’t very motivated in the business, this eventually led…

narrative is eloquently written by Washington Irving, a prolific nineteenth century American writer. The Author sets the story in a village near the Hudson River, along the banks of the Catskill Mountains where Great Britain once held reigns. Irving presents the reader with a story that effectively delivers an abundance of connotations representing the era of its origin. Through the use of characterization, imagery and symbolism, the reader can infer that Washington Irving is conveying a complex theme…

Washington Irving
Diedrich Knickerbocker; Geoffrey Crayon; Henry A. Buchanan; Jonathan Oldstyle. All were famous writers of the nineteenth century. All had one important thing in common-they are all one man-Washington Irving. Using these pen names, among many, Irving developed a legacy of utilizing European culture to cultivate American aspects of literature.
Fred Lewis Pattee asserted, "American short story began in 1819 wit Washington Irving." (Gale Group 4) Irving is best known for…

his short story “The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow” Washington Irving argues otherwise, illustrating the main character, Ichabod, as being invasive and often inclined to put himself in uncomfortable situations. These characteristics alienate him from the norms of society and lead him to be perceived differently from the other male characters, mainly because he does not fulfil the typical gender roles. Through artistic imagery, sarcasm and diction Irving depicts how Ichabod’s lack of masculinity ultimately…

The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a tale of supernaturalism written in Nineteenth-Century America during a time when American literature was not yet fully established. Irving wrote this story with multiple historical events in mind and presents a legend full of problematic ideas of wealth, greed and rejection. Amongst many other literary elements, Irving uses the American setting and Sleepy Hollow itself throughout in relation to the development of the story. The setting in…

Washington Irving, American Story Teller
I strongly agree with the statement “Washington Irving found in legend and folklore a view of the natural world colored by emotion, by superstition, and by the ancient belief that supernatural beings inhabit the wild places of the earth. He wrote stories that illustrated old truths about human nature and the dramatic possibilities of the American landscape.” Although Irving wrote over twenty volumes, including essays, poems, histories, biographies…

“Rip Van Winkle” & the Parallel to Crises in Midlife
“Rip Van Winkle” is an American short story by Washington Irving. Published in 1819, it is a quaint essential piece of American Literature. The story is narrated by Deidrich Knickerbocker, a character created by Washington Irving. Knickerbocker tells of the life of old man Rip Van Winkle and how he slept for twenty years among the trees in the Kaatskill mountains and returned one day to a new time, only to find that his home and all his friends…

The short stories of Washington Irving are examples of the literary movement of Romanticism and its characteristics which are evidenced in this author’s works. These
characteristics are sometimes found in abundant quantities or limited amounts in each of his short stories. However, no matter what short story Washington Irving wrote, the Age of Romanticism and its defining characteristics are found in each of his selections. So, too, do each of the author’s short stories present a unique study about…

In 1819 one of the most influential folk tales in American literature was “Rip Van Wrinkle” published by Washington Irving. This folk tale intertwines fantasy with reality and captures what it is like waking up in an anomalous yet familiar place. The main themes of Rip Van Wrinkle is Rip’s laziness, Dame’s henpecking, and the difference between Pre-Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary times. This American Mythology follows a slothful man who desires not to be bothered by his “shrewish” wife and the…

Washington Irving, American Story Teller
I strongly agree the statement “Washington Irving found in legend and folklore a view of the natural world colored by emotion, by superstition, and by the ancient belief that supernatural beings inhabit the wild places of the earth. He wrote stories that illustrated old truths about human nature and the dramatic possibilities of the American landscape.” Although Irving wrote over twenty volumes, including essays, poems, histories, biographies, and more…

Max Lippman
Mrs.Tortolla
21st of September 2015
B Block
Sleepy Hollow
In the Legend Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, the reader follows the story of a Man named Ichabod Crane. It all takes place in 18th century New York, where we see Ichabod the lanky, poor, school teacher attempt to court the rich and lovely Katrina Van Tassel. Ichabod comes to Sleepy Hollow, New York, from his home state of Connecticut, to be the schoolmaster of the village. The town of Sleepy Hollow and its inhabitants are…